Greenish-yellow smog covers Chinese city of Wuhan

A thick yellow cloud covers a busy intersection in Wuhan on June 11. Wuhan was blanketed by thick yellowish cloud Monday, raising fears of pollution among its nine million inhabitants, residents told AFP. Witnesses said the haze appeared suddenly in the morning, and residents rushed to put on face masks. (AFP Photo/Str)

Young and old residents of the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan were advised to stay indoors on Monday after a thick haze blanketed the city of nine million people, official media said.

Described by residents as opaque with yellowish and greenish tinges, the fog descended suddenly in the morning, prompting people to rush to put on face masks, witnesses told AFP.

The official Xinhua news agency quoted the environmental protection department of Hubei province saying in a statement: “Children, the elderly and people with heart or respiratory diseases are advised to stay indoors.”

Xinhua said straw burning was the cause and denied there had been any industrial accidents in or near Wuhan, after Internet rumours suggested there had been an explosion at a chemical complex northeast of the city.

“I looked out of the window of my office and I could not believe my eyes,” said resident Li Yunzhong.

“At first I thought it was going to rain. In 31 years in Wuhan I have never known anything like it. We are very worried because we do not know what it is.”

France’s consulate-general in the central city advised residents to stay at home, close their windows and limit the use of air-conditioning.

“The source of the thick cloud that has covered the city of Wuhan since this morning is at present unknown,” it said on its website.

“Local authorities have promised us the information as soon as possible.”

Xinhua described the haze as grey-yellow in colour and said it was seen in seven cities in Hubei province, including Wuhan.

Air pollution is increasingly acute in major Chinese cities and authorities are frequently accused of underestimating the severity of the problem in urban areas, especially in Beijing.